Tajikistan elections criticised by poll watchdog

The election is expected to return President Emomali Rakhmon to office

Voting in Tajikistan's elections on Sunday was marred by widespread fraud, international monitors have said.

The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) said the polls had "failed on many basic democratic standards".

It said there was evidence of ballot stuffing and proxy voting and media coverage of campaigning was minimal.

Early results give President Emomali Rakhmon's party, which dismissed the accusations, more than 70% of votes.

Mr Rakhmon has been in office for the past two decades and his People's Democratic Party holds virtually all seats in parliament.

'Irregularities'

OSCE co-ordinator Pia Christmas-Moeller said she was pleased by the "generally good atmosphere" on election day.

But she said she was "even more disappointed that these elections failed on many basic democratic standards".

The observers from OSCE and the European Parliament said there had been "serious irregularities" on polling day, including a high prevalence of family and proxy voting and cases of ballot box stuffing.

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